Finding the best engravings for each item in Assassin's Creed Shadows can turn a good bit of gear into an amazing bit of gear. There are plenty of good engravings in the game, but for this guide, we want the very best.
There are a lot of engravings in Assassin's Creed Shadows, and the system isn't the most intuitive. While every item has an engraving or perk built into it, higher-tier weapons and armour also have a second slot. This is where engraving comes into the frame. While you play, you'll unlock a plethora of engravings, from +5% damage to health gains on enemy kills. You probably won't even pay the system much notice until you unlock the Forge.
Speaking of the Forge, you'll get it as one of the earliest Hideout options, and upgrading it is a high priority. In our tips guide, we suggested the Forge should be your priority, and for the sake of this guide, it's an ideal option.
In this article, we'll list our best option for each gear slot, for both Naoe and Yasuke.
Best Engravings for Naoe for each Item
Most of Naoe's best engravings build on what she already has in her kit. We've listed a few options for her below, while picking our top pick.
Headgear
Assassination damage is the main focus when looking to add engravings to headgear. The +1 Health Segment when doing an Assassination is our top pick, especially if using the Swift Shinobi Hood. There aren't a lot of other options here, but that's the most consistent. If your headgear already has a similar trait, then go for the slow down time engraving.
- Damage: +1 Health Segment removed on Assassinations
- Constitution: Slow down time when detected
Light Armor
We have a few more options here, depending on how you want to play. The +2 Health Segments removed on assassinations is a great option if paired with the +1 from the helmet. We personally like the poison cloud from dead bodies, however, as it really adds a new dynamic to Naoe's play style.
- Constitution: Avoid death and gain immunity for 8 seconds one time
- Damage: Attacks have 3% chance to remove 1 Health Segment on hit
- Afflictions: Dead bodies release a poison cloud when investigated
- Damage: +2 Health Segments removed on Assassinations
Trinket
The trinket spot is where things start to get more interesting. If you want to go all-in on the Katana, then the +2% Critical Damage per Mastery is the play. However, all three are really viable here. For a good passive boost, +10% is great.
- Constitution: +10% to Stats on equipped Katana/Tanto/Kusarigama
- Constitution: +10% to Stats on equipped Light Armor/Headgear
- Constitution: +2% Critical Damage per Mastery Point in Katana
Katana
There are plenty of options here, but we feel only one really stands out. This engraving is ideal for completing trophies like the Final Hearing Trophy or the Overdesign III Trophy.
- Affliction: Affliction Buildup is not lost over time
Tanto
The Tanto is all about speed, so the +6% damage on consecutive hits is amazing here.
- Damage: +6% damage with consecutive hits
- Damage: Shadow Piercer now removes 2 Health Segments on hit
Kusarigama
For AOE fights, the ability to spread affliction build-up to other enemies can be really strong. However, for the same reason, the armor damage is just as good.
- Armor: +72% Armor Damage when hitting multiple opponents
- Afflictions: Spread Affliction Build-up with Combo Ender
Best Engravings for Yasuke for each Item
Unlike Naoe, Yasuke has a lot of really good options for engravings. Given that his play style is all about combat, it gives him more scope for new effects. We've listed the ones we like below, but selected our top pick.
Helmet
There are a lot of really good options here, and any of them are great picks. We've picked the damage to the attacker on parry, as it fits our style. However, all of these are good.
- Damage: Deal 50% damage to the attacker on Parry
- Damage: Automatically perform a Weakpoint attack on a successful Parry
- Damage: +12% damage with Abilities
- Constitution: Trigger Samurai Stand on death, once per combat (avoid death)
Chest Armour
A lot of these build well if used with the Helmet picks above, so we've taken the 'parry unblockable attacks' option given our choice above. The other options are also great.
- Constitution: Can Parry Unblockable attacks
- Constitution: 50% chance to negate projectiles
- Damage: +24% damage on next hit after a Parry
- Constitution: Restore 8% Health on kill
- Damage: +200% damage with Ranged Weapons while out of combat
- Damage: +24% Armor Piercing with Ranged Weapon
Trinket
Like with Naoe's trinkets, it's a weird mix, but for us taking a passive is the best option.
- Constitution: +10% to Stats on equipped weapon
- Constitution: +10% to Stats on equipped Armor
- Constitution: +2% Critical Damage per Mastery Point in Long Katana
- Ranged: +50% chance to refill ammo on kill
Long Katana
The health removal on armor break is a strong option as it makes up for the weakness of the Long Katana.
- Constitution: Riposte makes enemies Vulnerable
- Damage: 1 Health Segment removed after Armor Break
Kanabo
Being the Kanabo is such a slow weapon, having it be uninterruptible makes it a really good engraving with the Kanabo.
- Damage: Create an area of effect on hit with Combo Enders
- Damage: Attacks cannot be interrupted
- Damage: Devastation knocks out enemies
Naginata
The Naginata already does great damage, so for us, a +10% damage is easy to have and works well. Automatically parrying while blocking is strong as well, though it works better if your playstyle is similar to that.
- Damage: First strike makes enemies Vulnerable every 8 seconds
- Damage: +10% damage
- Constitution: Blocking automatically parries incoming regular attacks
Bow
It is not a weapon we have much experience with; however, both options below are strong. Instantly charged arrows is our pick, just because it speeds up the process.
- Ranged: Instantly charge arrows
- Ranged: Fire multiple arrows in a single shot
Teppo
The Teppo engravings are a strange bunch. +5% damage per meter is the clear peak for us, given the style of using it like a sniper rifle. If you use it more as a way to thin the ranks, however, two bullets being loaded or shooting multiple shots is a good alternative. We've included the suppressed firing noise engraving. However, it feels pointless given the bow is silent.
- Damage: +5% damage per meter of distance
- Damage: +3% Critical Chance
- Ranged: Chamber two bullets instead of one
- Ranged: Suppress firing noise
- Ranged: Shoot multiple bullets in a single shot
How to Engrave in the second slot of an item
You need to unlock the forge to engrave an item. Then upgrade it to the second level, and now you can engrave items into the second slot. You'll need level 2 for the rest. Level 3 is required for Legendary engravings.
How do you Engrave onto a Legendary item?
You can attach engravings to your Rare, Epic, and Legendary weapons and armor, offering extra perks and enhancements to your gameplay. You can apply perks once you unlock the Forge; however, to use additional engravings on Legendary items, you need to upgrade your Forge to level 2.
To engrave a legendary engraving, you will need a level 3 Forge. These are the engravings that appear as Gold when unlocked, and you'll unlock these by finding the Legendary item they are attached to.
How to find new engravings
If you head to the engraving menu at the Forge, find the engraving you want, and then the game will give you a hint about the location. You might get a hint like "rebels in Tamba are holding it", which will likely mean a castle legendary chest has it. You can check by hovering over the castles to see what the rewards are.
